Ground Zero
by iamlegendnow80
Summary: An agent of Interpol has been assigned the case of a lifetime: finding and apprehending the ones responsible for the outbreak. Now, he, along with a prefectural police officer, a nurse, and a group of teenage survivors, must follow the seemingly untraceable web of murder, sabotage, and disaster to find the truth behind the end of mankind.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi everyone, this is my first ff, so please be gentle! I don't have much to say at the moment, so I hope you enjoy!**

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**Ground Zero**

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Chapter One: Beginning

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Agent Hayato Busujima glared intensely at the immense web pinned on the corkboard in his office. Thousands of outbreaks, thousands of deaths, and he still could not find one suspect. There had to be something he was missing, something crucial. Outbreaks such as this don't just happen naturally.

"Someone always pulls the trigger," he muttered to himself. Hayato took a sip from his coffee and continued to study his web carefully.

Though he would never admit it, the sleepless nights and the seemingly endless amounts of work were beginning to take their toll. He could not stop now, though, not when he hadn't even started.

For the fortieth time, Hayato tried retracing the events chronologically, hoping to find some sort of clue he had overlooked. "The outbreak began in the states, Manhattan specifically," he began, placing his finger accordingly on the map, "then similar outbreaks occurred across the rest of the country soon after. Airports were locked down, as well as all docks and borders."

Hayato dragged his finger towards Europe and continued out loud. "Outbreaks then occurred in most major cities in Europe, even though the U.S. had already isolated itself. Europe soon followed suite and attempted to contain the disease."

He stepped back from the map and moved his attention to the Far East, clenching his fist angrily. "This was no accident, it couldn't have been. With this many cities hit in such rapid succession, there has to be another explanation."

Interpol agents, such as Hayato, had been working day and night to try and control this sudden apocalyptic turn of events. Many were out fighting off hoards of the undead, risking their lives for the sake of others. This was a chance many agents dreamed of, a time to prove their worth and climb the ranks as a hero.

However, when Hayato was offered the opportunity, he had polite fully declined. It wasn't that he was unwilling to risk his life for others, contrary to popular belief. If things came down to it, Agent Busujima would have gladly given his life if it meant saving others. But, Hayato was a tactician at heart, and, when confronted, told his fellow agents, "I refuse to throw my life away in a war we simply do not understand."

Hayato strongly believed that it would be impossible to win a war when no one knew who the enemy even was. There had to be someone behind these outbreaks, and the sickness wouldn't stop unless that person was brought into the light.

But, after days of researching, studying patterns, and throwing back black coffee as if his life depended on it, Agent Busujima was yet to produce a shred of evidence leading to a trail.

For him, the most frustrating part was that he knew exactly where his problem lay. No one knew for sure where and who the disease started out in. The sick suddenly just appeared, as if over night. There was no recorded patient zero, nor a ground zero for him to begin his investigation.

"Started out in Manhattan, spread to Europe, and then went global," he repeated to himself, tracing the string lines over and over again. He had memorized every face, every person who was first recorded as infected, but none of them stood out as suspicious people. They came from every class of society; none of their backgrounds were outstanding or suspicious in any way. None had connections to any sort of company or organization that could create such a deadly bio-weapon, from what he could see at least. Interpol had kept most information on first recorded victims top secret.

"Damn board," he cursed, throwing his useless files to the floor, "Don't they know that I can't find them any suspects without detailed profiles?" Hayato dumped the rest of his coffee in the sink and stormed out of his office to get some fresh air.

* * *

Reports kept coming in and none of them were containing welcomed news. To make things worse, Agent Busujima still could not make any progress and Interpol was growing increasingly irritated with Hayato's insistence on a mastermind behind the outbreaks.

Eventually, the higher ups called him in for a "review of his record". Anyone with a badge knew that meant one of two things: either you were getting fired or you were in danger of getting fired. But, Agent Bushujima needed the victim's profiles, and knew that accepting the board's invitation was the only way he'd get a chance to ask. So, he begrudgingly conformed when the director's personal assistant pulled him out of his office to throw him to the wolves.

"We need you to help us contain these outbreaks," the director barked at him, "If you haven't noticed, thousands of people are dying right now! We can't afford to have one of interpol's greatest minds chasing some pipe dream!"

Agent Busujima merely smiled at the director's red face and let out a small chuckle. "With all due respect, sir," he spoke the title, more as an insult than a compliment, "have you even read the reports?"

"Of course I have! That's why I'm telling you that we need you where the real fight is," the director shouted indignantly.

Hayato tutted condescendingly and shook his head, "Well if you had, you would realize that we're fighting a losing battle. For each one we've managed to kill, about ten replace it. They don't stop coming. Tell me, Saburo-dono, what do you do to get rid of a weed?"

The director gave him a confused look, along with the other members of the board. He then asked, "How does this have to do with our problem?"

"Just humor me," Hayato insisted, his lips pursued in a tight smile.

"Fine," Director Saburo huffed, "I would pull it out by the root. Otherwise, it would grow back."

Agent Busujima nodded. "Exactly. This situation is no different. If we don't find the source, the ones behind these terrible outbreaks, we can never truly stop them. Say that, through some miracle, we are able to stop this one. Whose to say they won't release a new strand of the virus, possibly even worse then the last."

The room suddenly came alive with scared whispers between board members. Even the director himself seemed troubled by Hayato's hypothesis. "So, you propose that there is, in fact, some one behind these events? Where's your proof?"

Hayato knew he had no physical proof, which was the one thing that mattered above all else. "I don't have any proof, not yet at least. You see, a proper investigation cannot even begin if you hold back the facts."

"Not a chance," one of the older members said almost immediately, "That information is highly classified! Even in your position, which I am starting to wonder if you even deserve, you have no right to those kinds of files!"

Agent Busujima gritted his teeth in frustration. It was unbelievable how stubborn these old politicians were. "Then how do you expect me to find you a criminal? Without knowing the victims, I won't even know where to start!" Hayato stood from his desk and slammed his fist down angrily. "You incompetent fools are allowing possibly the most dangerous and diabolical human being since Adolf Hitler to roam free! Try going to sleep with that weighing down on your conscious!"

The room went silent after Hayato's outburst. Director and board members alike all stared at Hayato in disbelief. The only sound that could be heard was the aggravated agent's heavy breathing. A couple seconds after, Hayato took one last deep breath and exhaled slowly, sitting back on his chair.

Calmly, he stated, "I apologize for losing my temper. There's not much that can rile me up in such a way, but nothing infuriates me more than a criminal who has escaped justice. Please, I am asking you, give me those files and a month or so. After that, whoever did this, I'll have their hands in cuffs and their head on a plate."

The board began to whisper amongst each other again, much to Hayato's frustration. It seemed that, even faced with the downfall of humanity, the ones in charge were still incapable of making quick, decisive decisions.

Once the board had finished discussing the issue, Director Saburo stood from his seat and addressed Agent Busujima. "I've known your track record long enough to know that you're one of the most efficient agents we have. After your investigation and apprehension of an infamous Yakuza wakagashira, I have no doubt in your abilities. If you feel that you will be able to track down the origin of the outbreaks, we will allow you access to those files."

Hayato smiled victoriously, now the investigation could officially begin. Saburo motioned to his secretary, who handed him a yellow folder riddled with red 'CLASSIFIED' stamps. The director quickly checked the contents and then slid it down the table.

Catching the folder at the end, Hayato opened it up and began to scan the documents. As he read through, his mind raced, connecting the new information with the facts he already knew.

After only five minutes of examination, Hayato chuckled. "And here I was, thinking this would be difficult."

The director's eyes widened in disbelief. "Already? But, how is that possible?"

"I'm shocked you all weren't able to connect the dots yourselves. Maybe you all have gone senile," Hayato teased, enjoying the perturbed looks the board members were giving him. Agent Busujima pointed to one of the profiles and proclaimed, "Mr. Dallas Jones is our patient zero."

"How could you possibly make such a wild claim," another member of the board blurted out.

Hayato, as if hopefully anticipating such a question, quickly explained, "If you look at all the profiles of the first recorded victims, none of them could have ever come into contact with the disease. All of them are extremely average people whose time in the United States has been accounted for, all except Mr. Jones." Pointing lower on the sheet, Hayato continued, "Take a look at this. Dallas Jones arrived in the U.S. on a flight from Japan exactly five days ago, the very day of the outbreak in New York."

"So someone maybe slipped a device in his bag while he wasn't paying attention?" Saburo suggested

Hayato shook his head, though. "In an American airport? There would be at least twenty different security cameras to catch him on tape, no criminal mastermind is that stupid. I suspect whoever our culprit is planted some time release device on him while he was in Japan, just before he boarded the plane."

"Are you saying that the disease did not, in fact, originate in the states?"

"That, I know for a fact, sir," Agent Busujima answered confidently, closing the folder and sliding it back to Saburo. "I'd like permission to continue my investigation there. This important new information has brought a new suspect to light."

At this point, the entire board, with the exception of Director Saburo, was completely lost. Some simply stared at the detective, trying to figure out if his entire theory was mere conjecture. Others murmured to themselves silently, trying to catch up with his train of thought.

"Mr. Busujima, who exactly do you have enough evidence to accuse at this moment?" the director questioned skeptically.

"It's simple, one of the only people with the resources to create such a bio-weapon, Souichiro Takagi."

"Souichiro Takagi," Director Saburo bit his bottom lip nervously, "You are accusing Souichiro Takagi of being responsible for the outbreaks. Mr. Busujima, you must be absolutely sure if you are to make such a claim."

"You mistake my Saburo-dono, I do not accuse Mr. Takagi of being responsible for the outbreaks. If he were, Japan would be completely untouched by the sickness. But I do, however, think that he knows something about what's truly behind this epidemic."

Director Saburo was the only one satisfied with Hayato's answer. The rest bustled with protests and threats to his job. "This is ridiculous! If you think we'll give you the go ahead to investigate such a high profile person, then you're sadly mistaken!"

"Mr. Takagi has been nothing but generous to Interpol!"

"We can't offend someone that donates as much as him!"

"One more crazed suggestion and we'll have your badge, Mr. Busujima!"

Hayato rolled his eyes. They responded exactly how he expected they would. Luckily, their words weren't final, and the only one holding any real power was Director Saburo. Hayato looked at the director, who was obviously deep in thought at the moment. "Saburo-dono, the safety of civilians is much more important than potentially offending a wealthy nationalist."

"Fine. Mr. Busujima, you leave in three days for Japan. Make sure you are fully prepared to survive on your own, because once you're there, you're on your own."

The members of the board lowered their heads in defeat, while Hayato smirked, satisfied with Saburo's answer. "A wise decision, Saburo-dono. I will prepare for the departure."

"Don't thank me, Mr. Busujima. I'm afraid I've just thrown you into hell."

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**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Please leave a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Second Chapter now up! Hope you all enjoy and please leave a review!**

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Chapter 2: Partners

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"Ms. Minami, it is my understanding that you have been waiting on permission to enter Japan."

Rika answered Lt. Admiral Jameson with a nod of her head. "I have friends that I have to protect, and I can't do it on this boat out in the middle of the ocean."

For the last two days, Rika Minami had been stuck on a Japanese Self Defense Force ship called the 'Akagi'. While it was probably the safest spot in the world at the moment, she had spent all her time on the vessel trying to get off.

Just before the EMP went off, she had received a call from her best friend, a high school nurse named Shizuka Marikawa, telling her that she had lived through the initial outbreak. Rika didn't have many friends in the world, and the thought of losing her best one was too much to bear. Unfortunately, the SDF wasn't so willing to give up their best shot, so on the boat she had remained.

"Has the CO approved my request?"

"Are you absolutely sure you want to leave the safety of this vessel? Once you go, I can't guarantee that you'll be able to return," Jameson asked, hoping to persuade her to stay.

No amount of asking could turn Rika's back on her friends, though. She wasn't about to let a bunch of shambling corpses devour one of the only people she had left. "I can handle whatever is thrown at me. Just tell me when and how I can leave, Lieutenant Admiral."

Jameson sighed in disappointment, convinced that Rika's confidence would be the death of her. He pulled out a small yellow folder and handed it over to the markswoman and said, "The commander didn't want you leaving the vessel because he felt it was an unnecessary risk for one of our best soldiers. But, just recently, Interpol has requested an escort for one of their agents, who will be conducting an investigation in a major hot zone in Japan. If you want to go there, this is your ticket."

Rika took the folder and then gave Jameson a confused look. "What is Interpol doing sending agents into an infested area?" she asked.

"Apparently, this agent believes he can track down the cause of the outbreaks. As ridiculous as it sounds, the director of Interpol has backed him up."

Rika chuckled. She was asking to be dropped into an area crawling with THEM and even _she_ thought that this wayward agent's claim was ridiculous. "Who is this man?"

"The madman's the same guy who worked on that Yakuza case a year or so back. Hayato Busujima, I think it was," Lt. Admiral Jameson answered jokingly.

Her entire body froze up and she dropped the folder when she heard the agent's name leave Jameson's mouth. Rika stared out into the ocean blankly, her mind spinning. "Hayato Busujima…" she mouthed, her trembling hands balled into a fist.

Jameson noticed Rika's strange reaction and asked concernedly, "Ms. Minami? Ms. Minami, are you alright?"

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," she answered, stooping over to pick up the scattered papers that now lay on the ship's deck, "It's just that we used to work together during my earlier days in the prefecture."

"Oh," Jameson laughed with relief, "Why do you look so upset, then? You two already know each other and have experience working together."

Rika let out a large sigh. "If you've ever met him, you'd know that Hayato isn't the kind of guy that's easy to work with. There were few in the department that could actually stand to be around him for more than a couple seconds."

"Come now, he can't be that bad."

"Again, you've never met him," Rika scoffed, shooting the poor Admiral a pointed glare, "The guy's an insufferable, narcissistic, son of a… nrgh…" She clenched her fists even tighter, unable to even bear the thought of working under Hayato again.

To her surprise, the Admiral started laughing heartily. Rika turned to him, now glaring even harder, and demanded, "What is it you find so funny?"

"It seems like you two have clashed a bit in the past," he answered with a smile.

Rika huffed angrily, "'a bit' isn't even half of it, sir. Is there any other way I can get to Japan _other_ then having to deal with him?"

Jameson shook his head. "Sorry, Ms. Minami, this is your only shot. Either you take what we give you, or you stay on this boat until the epidemic ends or the world ends."

"Fine," Rika accepted begrudgingly, "I'll do it, for Shizuka. Just, damn it… damn it all…"

"I'll let the Commander know. Prepare your bags, because you leave tonight," Jameson said, giving Rika a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I wish you the best of luck, Ms. Minami."

"Yeah, thanks," Rika answered listlessly, not really paying attention to the Admiral. Once Jameson was further than an earshot away, she muttered to herself, "Of course. It's the end of the world and I have to work with the last guy I want to see."

* * *

It was 8:00 in the morning when Hayato began to wrap up the last of his packing. He had planned out every piece of equipment perfectly, as he usually did with everything.

All the food and gear he would need for his estimated time out in the field was packed in the most space efficient way possible. He had weighed and measured his backpack to ensure that it would be the ideal in terms of lightness and maneuverability. There was only one item that he was missing: his weapon of choice.

Unlike most Interpol agents at his level, Hayato was not an excellent shot. He wasn't even an average one. Even before the accident that claimed his left eye, an event he did not like to think back on often, his aim was off. But, with the lack of complete depth perception, any hopes he may have had of improving were dashed.

Hayato didn't need any sort of firearms, though, or at least he believed so. Being a Busujima meant that he had received kendo training at a very young age. When he had graduated from the academy, his father had handed down an important family heirloom, the Totsuka sword.

This katana was of the highest quality, possibly one of the most well crafted swords in existence. Only one sword was an equal match for it, and that was its twin, the Murata-tou, which was in the possession of Hayato's uncle, last he had seen.

Hayato approached the sword, which he kept up on a rack on his wall. Carefully, he picked up the sword and held it, familiarizing himself with the weight in his hands. He then drew it partially; checking the shining blade to insure it was as sharp as ever.

Just as Hayato had expected, the sword looked the same as it had the day he received it, as if it had been just newly forged. Sliding the blade back into the sheath, he strapped it around his waist so that it would be ready for use at a moments notice.

"You're taking the Totsuka sword?"

Hayato turned around and saw Director Saburo standing at his door. "I will be needing it if I want to stay alive, no? I'm sure you and the rest of the board are just worried to death about my safety, Saburo-dono," Busujima remarked as he stooped over to pick up his bag. Hayato slung the backpack over his shoulder and walked out with Saburo, closing his office behind him.

"I assume it's time for my departure?"

The director nodded and began to lead Agent Busujima towards the heli-pad. "We're going to land you as close to the Takagi estate as possible. Unfortunately, because of the amount of fires and diseased surrounding the place at the moment, the closest we could get was a shopping mall eight miles south."

Hayato cursed under his breath. The longer it took him to reach the Takagi estate, the more likely it was that Souichiro would be dead. If Souichiro was dead, Hayato's job would become infinitely more difficult.

"Souichiro is a tough son of a bitch," Hayato reassured the director, and partially himself, "If anyone's survived this long out there, it's him."

"When the Americans and Russians launched their nukes, the resulting explosions caused a widespread EMP over most of Japan," Saburo reminded him.

Hayato glared at the director, a bit annoyed that Saburo thought he had forgotten something so important. "I was there when the report came in, don't insult my memory, Saburo-dono."

"I'm not insulting your intelligence," the director said. "I just want to make sure you're staying realistic. It's very possible that you might not find what you're looking for."

"Saburo-dono, in all the years you have known me, have I been one to be unrealistic?" The director shook his head in concurrence. It was true; Hayato was actually the most pessimistic agent he had ever met. "I am fully aware that Souichiro may not be alive, in fact I'm expecting that he'll be dead by the time we get there. But, I believe in statistics, and statistics show that a man with Souichiro's resources, skills, and charisma has a better chance of surviving than an average citizen."

Saburo sighed and put his hands up in defeat. "Well, if there's no changing your mind, I might as well tell you that you're not going alone."

This was good news to Hayato. He had assumed that he would be carrying out this investigation alone. Having to look after another person made the assignment unnecessarily complicated. "I hope you are not forcing me to escort some worried mother so she can find her shambling corpse of a daughter," Agent Busujima grumbled.

"Not anything like that," Saburo answered with a shake of his head, "The truth of the matter is that we are assigning you an escort for your own protection."

Hayato felt insulted by Saburo's insinuation. "You do realize that I am extremely well trained in the art of kendo. I don't need a babysitter," he protested.

The director grinned, enjoying one of the rare moments he was actually able to get a reaction out of his top agent. "That would be true, were you a better shot. But, unfortunately, you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn standing a foot away from it and getting up close to these things is what gets you killed."

"So who will be my bodyguard?"

Saburo chuckled to himself knowingly. "You'll get to meet her in a second."

"Her?"

The director pushed open the double doors to the helipad and held it open for Hayato. The Interpol agent stepped through, but stopped immediately when he saw a purple haired woman in a black combat suit and sporting a pair of shooting glasses standing in front of his helicopter. She had a large rifle slung over her shoulder and the look she gave Hayato told him that she was equally displeased to see him.

"Ah, you chose Rika Minami," he finally said in his usual emotionless tone. He walked straight up to the police officer and looked her over, as if examining a specimen in a lab. Hayato then looked straight down at her breasts, much to Rika's indignation.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, just about ready to knock the intrusive agent out.

"I see you went with the push up bra," Hayato responded, removing his gaze from Rika's ample bosom and returning her angry look with one of complete indifference. "Trying to impress someone? Or did you wear it just for me?"

Hayato's rude comment was met with a powerful left hook. He stumbled back, holding his left cheek, as Rika stormed over towards him angrily. "Wow," she snapped, her voice seething with frustration, "You're just as much of a jackass as you used to be!"

"And you're as unfocused and undedicated as I remember."

CRACK! Hayato was hit with another punch. "I'm not killing you? How's that for self control?"

"Saburo-dono, are you sure it is wise for me to travel with her?" Hayato called over to his boss, who found the entire reunion very amusing.

Saburo shook his head and walked over, putting himself between the two. "Ms. Minami, as much as we'd all like to punch him, sometimes, the two of you have a job. Now I was told you were one of the only officers willing to go back to Japan. I also heard that you're the best shot in your department, which makes you the perfect one for the job. As I'm sure you already know, Agent Busujima has the aim of a drunk teenager."

Rika snorted happily at the comment. "That's an understatement. I don't even know how this guy got through the academy with an aim like his."

"Maybe it was my genius and prodigal skills as a detective?" Hayato suggested sarcastically, annoyed that people were still on the subject of his aim.

Saburo gave Hayato a sharp jab in the ribs to keep him quiet and then turned back to Rika. "Look, the assignment he's been tasked with is extremely important and we need him not covered in bite marks or filled with bullet holes."

Rika straightened her posture and nodded obediently at the director's orders. "Understood, sir. I won't allow our past to interfere with our task."

"That's a relief to hear." Saburo stepped back from between the two and motioned towards the helicopter. The two stepped onto the helicopter, each not giving the other a second glance. The director cursed under his breath, wondering if he truly had made the right choice.

As the rotors began to whir and the aircraft slowly lifted itself off the ground, he called out to them, "Good luck you two and please, no more fighting!"


End file.
